Method of securing hooks to bait plugs



March 3, 1942. w. F. EGER METHOD OF SECURING HOOKS TO BAIT PLUGS Fild Dec 1, 1939 fivenz off gi 'r..

Patented Mar. 3, 1942 METHOD OF SECURING HOOKS TO BAIT PLUGS William F. Eger, Bartow, Fla., assignor to Eger Bait Manufacturing Company, Bartow, Fla., a corporation of Florida Application December 1,1939, Serial No. 307,163

1 Claim. (01. 29-148) This invention relates to a bait, and more particularly to, a plug type of bait.

An object of the invention is to provide a new bait and method of forming the same having advantages which will be pointed out more fully hereinafter. The hook is expeditiously and securely combined with the plug while at the same time weighting it and balancing it, the forward end of the plug being free to receive a locking screw which maintains a weed guard in line with the hook. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated, in a preferred embodiment, by the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a side View in elevation of a leaderequipped bait embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a longitudinal sectional view of the plug; Fig. 3, a broken view of a portion of the weed guard; and Fig. 4, a perspective view of the cap employed for locking the weed guard loop upon the plug.

In the illustration given, A designates a leader; B, a plug; C, a weed guard; and D, a hook.

The leader A does not form a particular part of the present invention and therefore need not be described in detail. The rear portion of the leader wire engages the eye 10 of the screw II which threadedly engages a recessed portion in the front end of the plug B.

The plug B may be of any suitable construction and material. In the illustration given, it is formed of wood and has at its front end a recessed portion receiving the screw H and a locking indentation or hollow I2 for receiving an inturned portion of the weed guard C.

At an intermediate portion, an opening at the rear end of the plug is a longitudinal passage l3. Extending downwardly and at right angles from the front end of passage I3 is a transverse passage The weed guard C referably consists of a long wire portion l5 which extends upwardly and rearwardly in longitudinal alignment with the hook D. The forward end of the member I5 is turned to form a loop l6 which lies against the front end of the plug B. An end portion I1 is rearwardly turned to engage the locking recess I2 of the plug and thus prevents movement of the guard IS. A metal cap I8 is received about the loop I6 and has a side portion out way at I!) to permit the wire iii to extend therethrough. The cap is also apertured at 20 to permit the screw 1 l to extend therethrough.

In assembling, the member [5 is placed in the position shown in Fig. 2 with the loop around the central front recess and with the rearwardly turned end I! engaging the opening l2. Next, the cap I8 is placed over the loop IS with the slot or opening l9 receiving the wire [5. The screw H is then passed through the opening 20 of cap I8 and turned to engage the recess in the plug. This brings the eye It) tightly against the cap I8 so as to confine the loop l6 firmly against the front end of the plug. With this structure, the parts can be quickly and certainly assembled with the weed guard protecting the entire plug and being held in position by means of a screw which is required anyway for connection with the preceding leader A.

The hook D may be of any suitable construction. It may be provided at its forward end with an eye (not shown) or any other suitable locking member. In any event, the forward shank of the hook D is preferably provided with a molten metal sleeve 2! which is firmly united with the hook shank.

In order to lock the hook D firmly within the plug, molten metal, such as lead, or other suitable metal is poured into the transverse opening l4 so as to at least partially fill the transverse passage and a portion of the longitudinal passage l3, the metal stream firmly anchoring that portion of the metal within passage I4 to that portion of the metal in longitudinal passage I3 so that the hook D is thus held in fixed and permanent position within the plug.

The rearwardly extending metal sleeve 22 provides a surface adapted to receive the resilient collar of a rubber skirt which is ordinarily employed to conceal the hook D. Since the skirt forms no part of the present invention, it is not shown herein and it may be omitted or other suitable devices substituted therefor,

It will be observed that the method shown for anchoring the hook shank within the casing is extremely simple and effective and that not only does it result in anchoring the hook securely to the plug but at the same time it provides the necessary weighting for the hook and a depending piece of metal in the passage I4 for maintaining the plug in upright position in the water.

With the structure illustrated, it will be noted that the weighting of the plug is accomplished through passages extending some distance short of the forward end of the plug, thus providing a substantial front area adapted to receive the threaded retaining member II which looks the weed guard C in position.

It will be noted that the downwardly extending metal within passage 14 more than balances the upwardly extending weed guard C, and although the Weed guard is struck by objects tending to turn the plug, the depending weight in passage I 4 tends to right the plug immediately.

If it is desired to remove the weed guard for the purpose of unentangling it from obstacles or a line, this may be readily accomplished by the unscrewing of the member H. In replacing'the parts, accuracy is provided by the locking recess I2 which receives the rearwardly turned end l1.

While in the foregoing description I have set forth certain steps and certain details of construction as desirable for the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be understood that such steps and the details of the structure may be widely departed from by those skilled in the art while still within the spirit of my invention. I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim: 7

A method for securing a hook to a bait plug, comprising forming a longitudinal passage in the plug opening at the rear of said plug and a transverse passage opening in the lower portion of the plug and communicating with said longitudinal passage, applying molten metal to the shank end portion of said hook and inserting the same into said longitudinal passage, and pouring molten metal into said transverse passage to cause said metal to fuse with the metal about said shank portion and thus form a metal body interlocking with said passages.

WILLIAM F. EGER. 

